Eddie Trunk was born in New Jersey on August 8th 1964. A lifelong Jersey resident, Trunk was into music at a very early age. It started like any young kid in the early 70s, with the Partridge Family and various top 40 radio hits on the close and play (remember those?). Then in the mid 70s Trunk was introduced by a friend to a band called The Raspberries, and was instantly drawn to the sound of "power pop," a style of music that had the pop hooks, but also heavy crunching guitar riffs. This quickly became his favorite band, and even though the Raspberries only had moderate mass success, Trunk had to have every record and know everything he could about the band. At that point, Eddie was only 11 years old, and was way too young to ever see his new found heroes live (something he still hasn't done since the band broke up in the mid 70s).
Then came 1976, and walking home from Jr. High School Trunk made his usual stop at the local record shop he passed every day with a friend. It was there that he was introduced to a record by a band called Kiss. Their brand new album at the time was called Rock & Roll Over. However, since his buddy hadn't heard that one yet, he recomended the previous Kiss LP called Destroyer. Needless to say, like any other kid growing up in the 70s, the Kiss obsession began (and still continues!). From there it led to other hard rock favorites such as Aerosmith, UFO, Black Sabbath, Billy Squier (whom Eddie had seen open for Kiss with his old band Piper at his first concert ever in December of '77 at Madison Square Garden), Rush, Y&T, and countless others. Trunk never cared about trends and if bands were considered "cool," and was often made fun of for the bands and music he liked (there was no band considered more uncool than Kiss in the very early 80s). As a result, he never spent much time with the "in crowd" in high school, and spent time listening to records and reading about his favorite bands. As a senior in high school (where he never had good grades), Trunk was asked to write a record review section for the high school newspaper. It was there that he could earn school credit, while also doing what he loved, listening to music. The dream of being able to make a living after school ended and a music career was born.
It was also at this time that Eddie's high school was approached by one of the local colleges to have high school students learn radio during the summer. This would not only give the high school students exposure to radio, but also enable the college students to keep the station on-air when they went home for the summer. Trunk volunteered, learning how to cue up records and run a radio board. Quickly, worried about building security, the college canned the idea mid-summer, but it was enough to light the fuse in Ed's mind about a job in radio.
Upon graduation, Eddie attended the local community college for a brief time, but he just wasn't into it. They didn't even have a cool radio station! He then landed a job at a local record store in 1983, right accross the street from his favorite local NJ radio station, WDHA-FM. Many of the DJs and station management often came into the record shop, and Trunk got to know many of them. As the resident "Metal Head" of the record store staff, he was always tipping off the station program director about cool hard rock he should be playing. Not knowing how to handle it, the PD resisted. Then a friend told Eddie about a "pirate" radio station, an illegal broadcast that originated from somebody's basement. Trunk visited the station, did a few shows, and took the tapes to DHA. Although the tapes weren't that impressive, his commitment to join DHA was. It was also around the time that heavy metal was about to explode. Quiet Riot, Def Leppard, Metallica and others were set to explode. The offer came to "hang out" at DHA for a little while. Kind of like an unpaid intern that wasn't going to any school!
After a year or so working at the record store and radio station, Eddie started to get the itch to be on the air and presented the idea of a hard rock/heavy metal specialty show to DHA management. Nobody was doing this type of specialty show, and the station was hesitant, but finally gave in. From late 1983 through 1994, Trunk became a fixture at WDHA, the station he grew up listening to. Over the 10 years he spent at DHA (all on a part-time basis), he did almost everything you could do in radio, and actually started getting paid! He ended up hosting, producing, and programming the stations hugely popular metal show, in addition to doing regular airshifts, remote broadcasts, interviews, promotions and more.
It was in 1985 that Eddie was first approached by Johnny Z. Johnny owned an import record store called Rock & Roll Heaven, that Eddie often visited for cool new music. Johnny was starting a record label called Megaforce, and had a few bands named Metallica and Anthrax that nobody would play! Johnny new Eddie always embraced new artists and music and asked for his radio support. A year later, Trunk was asked to become one of the first employees of the newly formed Megaforce/Atlantic Records. Eddie went on to work for Megaforce (while still at DHA part time) from 1986-1990, eventually becoming Vice President of the label at 25 years old. He earned executive producer credit on several projects and worked with bands such as Anthrax, Raven, TT Quick, Manowar, Overkill, King's X, Prophet, Icon and Ace Frehley, the same Ace that played on that great record called Destroyer more than 10 years earlier! Eddie had talked Johnny Z (who never was a Kiss fan) into finding Ace and reviving his career. Together they signed Ace to a solo deal, releasing 4 CDs including the best selling Frehley's Comet debut. Ace and Eddie remain close friends to this day, evident by the now legendary appearences he makes on Trunk's radio show on a regular basis. After a four-year run as a record executive, Eddie worked in artist mangement. He was hired for a brief time as a member of Loud & Proud Management in Brooklyn. Loud & Proud was a company that managed six acts on six different labels and also ran the legendary rock club L'Amour, a place he always hung out at. White Lion was the biggest of the companies artists. Trunk had tried to sign the band to Megaforce a few years earlier and was an early supporter (he was the first to ever play White Lion before they released an album). He remained good friends with the members of the band, and was awarded his first gold record for the blockbuster sales of Pride live on stage in front of a packed house at L'Amour by Vito, Mike, Greg, and James. Loud & Proud also handled Tyketto, Overkill (who Trunk worked with at Megaforce as well), Tora Tora, Mitch Malloy, and a young blues guitarist named Eric Gales.
After Loud & Proud dissolved as an early victim of the coming music changes, Trunk recommited himself to more work in radio. In 1994 the usually lame New York City radio dial was given a shot of excitement when a station called "Pure Rock Q104.3" signed on by playing AC/DC A-Z. A full-time hard rock format in NYC? Eddie couldn't believe it! After approaching the station several times, he was hired as a DJ and found himself on the air in NYC! It started with some weekend work and led to a full-time schedule. Eddie had attempted to talk station management into letting him do a metal show similar to what he had created at DHA, but rumors of a station sale were already circulating. A year after being hired, Pure Rock Q104.3 was gone, and replaced by the new Classic Q104.3. Eddie was doing 7-midnight on Sunday nights and hosted the last shift of that now legendary radio station. For that shift he ditched the playlist and played what the people wanted and the phones went nuts. Unfortunately, people had no idea that in a matter of hours, Pure Rock would be gone, and so it appeared would Trunk's brief year in NYC radio. By doing that last shift, Eddie impressed the new incoming owners, and was one of only two members of the old airstaff retained. Needing a job, Trunk found himself going from Metallica and AC/DC one day, to CCR and Moody Blues the next. He spent two years working full time at the Classic Rock version of Q104.3, surviving several more management/ownership changes in the process and for a few months hosting full-time morning drive, the number one time slot in the number one market!
This brings us to late 1997. The legendary rock station WNEW-FM was rumoured to be moving away from the classic rock format and into a more rocking direction with some new air talent. Eddie was one of the first hired under new management because of his varied experience and willingness to be a team player. He initially joined the station as an engineer and board operator, with the promise of on-air duties once the stations new direction and staff were solidified. He began his on air duties doing weekend shifts, one of which was Saturday nights 10-2. After doing the straight programmed music for about six months he began to dream of doing a similar program to his old DHA show in the country's biggest market with 50,000 watts of power! He also recognized that NYC had no outlet for hard rock and metal and took the concept to his PD at the time. After much resistence, Eddie got his way and Saturday Night Rocks was born. Initially, the boss wanted to call the show "The Saturday Night Rock Party," but Trunk cringed, thinking it would conjur up the idea of pop music. Saturday Night Rocks was the compromise. Another compromise was that station management had to be in charge of selecting most of the music, something Eddie protested greatly, but agreed with just to get the show on the air. After about two weeks, all of the programming, producing, and hosting of the show were in the hands of Trunk, where it remains to this day. After WNEW made a drastic flip to a talk format, Saturday Night Rocks was the only rock based music show retained. It is the premiere music show in New York City, New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut. In a short period of time the show has dominated the ratings and drawn raves from special guests and celebrities in the nations number one market. Recently, Sopranos star Steven Van Zant payed a visit to the show as a fan and thanked Trunk for providing a refershing, honest, and unique style of radio. The list of artists who have echoed these similar words is too long to list here.
In September of 2001, WNEW added a second night of Eddie Trunk due to the overwhelming reponse to his Saturday show and Friday Night Rocks was born. Eddie now rocks the NYC tri-state area Friday's from 11-2 and Saturday's from 10-2. Baseball star and future hall of famer Mike Piazza is a regular co-host of the shows, and contributes often. It was also 2001 that Eddie played a key role as a contributor to VH1's Top 40 Hairband Countdown, guesting on the popular VH1 show for four hours. In November of 2001, Trunk organized the NY Steel benefit concert for Police and Firefighters in the wake of September 11th. It was Eddie that talked the orginal Twisted Sister into reuniting for the first time in fourteen years for the event, and also added long time friends Ace Frehley, Overkill, Anthrax, Sebastian Bach and Mike Piazza to the sold out bill. The now legendary event raised close to $100,000 for the charity and showed heavy metal in a positive light. In March of 2002, Eddie signed a deal with NYC based Excelsior Radio Networks to syndicate a new show called Rock The Nation on a national level.
In mid 2002, Eddie's national show and his local NYC show merged, creating one program that is now heard in the countries number one market, in addition to other cities. The first ever internet home for the show was secured at this time as well, with Eddie airing twice every week on the legendary www.KNAC.com. Due to a format change at WNEW, Eddie's show was cancelled in NYC in January of 2003 with audience and ratings at their peak. The show was picked up by NYC Classic Rock station Q104.3 (WAXQ) the following month, where Eddie had spent time from 1994-98. Eddie's show was once again heard in the New York City tri-state area, and currently airs on Q104.3 Friday nights 11PM-2AM. In January of 2003, Eddie made his debut as a VJ on VH1 Classic, and contributes to the channel on a part time basis.
In July of 2003, Eddie signed his first TV contract with VH1 Classic to serve as a full time host & VJ for the channel. He currently appears on VH1 Classic daily, and has already interviewed AC/DC, Sammy Hagar, Def Leppard & David Coverdale for the network.
In July of 2004, Eddie relaunched Saturday Night Rocks due to popular demand on XM Satellite Radio. XM is the nations leading provider of Satellite Radio. His show aired nationwide every Saturday night 8-Midnight EST on XM channel 41 Da Boneyard. Eddie departed XM Satellite Radio in August 2005 due to philosophical differences with the then program director.
In 2006 Eddie was hired by VH1 to serve in a consulting producer capacity for the first ever VH1 Rock Honors show in Las Vegas. The program honored Kiss, Queen, Judas Priest and Def Leppard. Eddie also served as the host for a nationally syndicated radio special that tied in with the TV program.
In May of 2006, radio history was made as Eddie Trunk scored the first real interview with Axl Rose in nearly 15 years. Rose walked into Trunk's radio studio unexpectedly and hung out on the air with him and his guests for over two hours making world news.
In December of 2006, Trunk returned to XM satellite radio with an all new show "Eddie Trunk Live," which airs every Monday from 6PM-10PM EST on channel 41 The Boneyard.
In 2007 VH1 Classic underwent programing changes and production on the channels original shows was ended. After a five year run of incredible interviews from artists of all genres that continue to live on on YouTube and other outlets, VH1 Classic ended for Eddie and the channels entire staff. Eddie quickly signed on to a new TV gig as a host and interviewer for the MSG Network in NYC. MSG is the TV home of Madison Square Garden and the NY Knicks and NY Rangers and is a basic channel in over 12 million homes in the tri-state. Eddie serves as an interviewer and host for music features inside the show "MSG,NY" and also serves as host of the MSG Concert Series. Interviews have included Chris Cornell, Julliet Lewis, Meat Loaf, Peter Criss, Jesse Malin, David Coverdale, Ace Frehley, 5 Finger Death Punch, Seether, OAR, Dispatch and many more.
Eddie Trunk continues his crusade to keep radio fresh and exciting and play the music he loves. He has also appeared on MTV several times, and worked as a freelance music journalist. His other interests include movies and sports (Giants, Nets, Rangers, & Mets).
Check out Eddie's Favorites from his 25 years in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Radio.
Check out these press clippings featuring Eddie Trunk:
Interview - AP
Interview - Radio and Records
Interview - Free! Magazine
NY Metro Newspaper
Older Press:
Steppin' Out Magazine July, 2001
Aquarian Weekly, May 2000
Star Ledger, 4.16.00
View this video montage of Eddie and his show! (It is 5MB and might take a while to load if you are using a dialup modem)
